This is how I remember high school wrestling where I lived; packed gyms and enthusiastic crowds. The photo is representative of a typical District Championship in the state, a week before Regionals and two before States. During these golden days of wrestling in Pennsylvania if you were lucky enough to snag a pair of tickets … Years to Remember
What’s not to like; certainly not the wrestling. The competitors did their job and the fans responded in kind. For me, the real fun began in the semi’s when the number one seeds in the first two weights found themselves in the consolation bracket; and then in the finals when two out of three wrestlers … The NCAA Tournament
There is little question that wrestlers are America’s cream of the crop when it comes to being the toughest and best conditioned athletes. This image we’ve earned is really something to be proud of – but, with this comes, responsibilities. The first is to be aware that society tends to believe that anyone who falls … Why Not
The following article appeared recently in FloWrestling which I find consistently to be the sports leader in original journalism. They always cover stories that others shy away from with a writing style that is always smart and crisp. __________________________________________ Recently, United World Wrestling announced a multi-year partnership with NBC Sports — an agreement that will … NBC Coverage, Not
The swearing in of the next President of the United States involved two men who sharpened personal skills in the sport of wrestling: Donald J. Trump and Chief Justice John Roberts. It certainly was a memorable day for the country and the sport. Intermat; Foley’s Mail Bag The following question was recently asked of T.R. … Have You Ever Seen A Time When
Wrestling is still wearing its shirt inside out, and our leadership seems to be okay with the look. Somehow they feel it’s fashionable to show everyone ragged seams and a wrinkled tag when it comes to the sport in general, and specifically for this blog; youth wrestling. So as I attempt to turn everything right … Child Abuse or Child Development
Did you know . . . That the average roster size for college programs has shrunk in size from 37 wrestlers in 1975 to 23 today? Scholastically almost 1/3rd of all high school matches are forfeits. Yet the sports leadership, at all levels, is operating under the assertion that all is well. There isn’t a single … A Potpourri of thoughts . . .
Should the IOC Keep Wrestling in the Olympics Of course they should, but will they? After you read this you decide. But to start, I’d like to take my hat off to Martin Floreani and FloWrestling. They’re the only media outlet we have that has the nerve to do investigative pieces in areas that wrestling would … Last Words on Rio
Before USAWrestling has much of a chance to spin the results of the Games, you might like to know a few facts. Out of 72 medals that were awarded for wrestling in Rio America won 3 of them. That alone should tell you where we stand in the world and the job Colorado Springs is … USAWrestling; Red, White and Feeling Blue
Maryland On The Move Besides being known for blue crabs, rock fish and black-eyed susans, Maryland can now claim to be the home of Olympic Champions. That’s important to the state because before Rio the only thing Maryland could say with regard to wrestling was it bordered on Pennsylvania. Now it has two larger than … Olympic Notes
The following is an exchange I had with one of the nation’s most recognizable wrestling officials. I thought you might find it interesting. Wade, This note to you is long overdue – I’ve read every one of your blogs and your writing is spot on. Well stated – many times over. I’ve shared your … Emails and America’s World Cup
I’ve known J Robinson since the early 70’s and he has always marched to his own drummer. He’s an opinionated winner, a stubborn and rugged individualist, a person you can count on to reject political correctness while he embraces discipline and personal responsibility. I’ve always found J to say what he believes and believe what … J is J
I’d like to start by complimenting USAWrestling and for some that might mean breaking out the smelling salts. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a while now given I don’t hesitate to call their leadership out when their priorities get out of whack. So to begin, I’d like to recognize their staff and every … A Combination of Thoughts
I guess I should apologize for starting this by mentioning the good old days when wrestlers didn’t have to qualify their weights before going to the Olympics; to a time when our athletes had enough confidence to achieve their potential; and to a time when you could trust the leadership at USAWrestling. Regrettably that’s not … Regional Training Centers . . . a cause for concern.
Before I share my thoughts on this year’s NCAA Wrestling Championships, I wanted to remind everyone of the most important blog I have ever posted. It’s entitled; A Point Scored is a Point Earned and it’s the most significant alteration to the rules I’ve ever suggested and if nothing else ever happened in wrestling, and … The NCAA’s that Changed Wrestling
It really wasn’t that long ago that the International Olympic Committee asked our leadership; “isn’t there something you can do to enhance your sport, make it more spectator friendly, find ways to put more points on the board, make the experience more exciting?” The response they heard was, “absolutely, we’ll assemble a group of our … United World Wrestling Faltering
In listening to the few who are trying to defend USAWrestling it’s apparent their organization desperately needs new leadership and of the type that brings a wealth of business knowledge to the table. Now I’m not talking about The Donald’s political positions or whether you prefer Democratic tenets to Republican beliefs, but if we’re to … Wrestling needs a Donald Trump
In one of the more recent editions of WIN Magazine I enjoyed reading an article by Jordan Burroughs addressing the issue of what we have to do to move USAWrestling and America back into competitive relevance. I like Jordan; he’s a good man, a great wrestler and an outstanding ambassador for the sport. So when … Folkstyle or Freestyle
Between the time of innocence – when the male of the species is nothing more than a bundle of wrinkles in diapers and the dignity of manhood, we find a delightful creature called a boy. Each comes into this world in the same way, but in assorted sizes, colors and weights. They even share the … What’s a Boy?
It’s a common practice for school boards to adopt proposals that tie academic performance to after school activities. In most cases, if students fail to maintain a certain academic average they become ineligible to participate in after school activities like cheer-leading, tennis and chorus. The prevailing philosophy is students are more apt to improve classroom … Athletics aren’t dessert; they’re meat and potatoes too . . .
Anytime a rule is changed in wrestling, especially relative to scoring, it should meet four criteria: Will it increase scoring? Does it escalate action, which is different from increasing scoring. Will it make wrestling simpler and easier to understand? Does it increase the interest of the spectators we have and those who are watching for … A Point Scored is a Point Earned
Last year I posted on my How Wrestling Wins blog the importance of adding a point to nearfalls and takedowns. Fortunately the NCAA agreed with me regarding the 4 point nearfall and implemented it. They have yet to see the wisdom of going with the 3-point takedown but they will because 1) it simplifies how … Make Scoring Simpler to Explain
I just received a short note from a colleague who is well known as an icon in our sport. The gentleman is in his 70’s now and there’s not much he hasn’t seen or done. This was in response to a conversation we had regarding the way America handles its youth programing. “I have coached … Youth Wrestling . . . How Stupid
Over the next year my wife and I are planning to tour America. Visiting every state, seeing old friends and meeting new ones while sharing what I’ve learned over 45 years in the sport with coaches and their athletes. Would your wrestling club, your team or someone you know be interested in my Pinning Made … Offering My Clinic Services
I just returned from Las Vegas and the World Championships. At a minimum, the event was interesting to watch and at times exciting, both on and off the mat. May I begin here by offering my congratulations to all the medalists, both foreign and domestic. It’s always a great honor for anyone to wear their … How the 2015 World Championships Hurt Us
I began to talk about this in How Wrestling Wins but I wanted to revisit it. For its wrestling’s skeleton, the framework that supports the challenge we have of making the sport relevant. Think for a moment, you just bought a failing restaurant at a good price. You’ve always wanted to be in the food … Wrestling as a Restaurant
Epilogue I thought of three more things I would develop in the sport if I were the man in charge holding the magic wand. Please add these to your “let me think about it” list. The team who forfeits a weight class also forfeits any say in the order of bouts for the evening and … How Wrestling Wins – Epilogue
Chapter 18 Here’s the final chapter of How Wrestling Wins. I hope you’ve enjoyed the read as much as I enjoyed my time trying to infuse logic into the sport. This effort represents 147 pages of text and literally hundreds of hours of critical thinking, mostly with a good glass of scotch in hand so … How Wrestling Wins – Chapter 18
Chapter 17 When you combine the following baseline changes and short synopsis of why each is important with last week’s Chapter 16, you have the future of wrestling. But remember, none of what I’m espousing is perfect and I implore you not to get caught up in the finite minutia. Each of us can find … How Wrestling Wins – Chapter 17